An Oath to Oblivion
by Purin-chan
Summary: A few years after the main TV series, Lina and her companions are unjustly convicted of a crime they were not involved in. After Xelloss frees her from prison, she sets out to rectify the situation and return the favor that she owes him. Subtle XL bias.
1. Chapter 1

An Oath to Oblivion – Chapter One

She was being held in one of the lowest chambers, deep within the Noonbaga prison known for its unshakable security. Anyone who was sent there failed to return--that is, anyone human.

_I must be completely out of my mind to be meddling in human affairs_, he thought, but regardless he continued to sneak through the levels of the prison, taking advantage of every shadowed corner and veiled wall. The entire place was built to be sturdy; each wall could withstand a couple of Dragon Slaves. Furthermore, a magic absorbing idol was present to prevent infiltration by those who possessed magical abilities. Even a mazoku of his status was having difficulty keeping concealed as he worked his way down, deprived of his repertoire of abilities.

But finally he found her. She was chained cruelly to a wall. A metal suppressor plate completely covered her face, subduing her mental functioning. Her head hung wearily from her shoulders; she appeared to be on her last reserve of energy, but it was still enough to raise her attention to his presence.

Sensing her will to speak, he quickly hushed her and worked efficiently to free her from her bonds. Her body fell onto him for support as the iron released its hold on her. He wrapped an arm around her, gently raised her head back, and crushed the faceplate that subdued her conscious.

"Wake up, Lina-san."

She groaned and dropped her head onto his shoulder. Though she lacked the energy to speak, he could understand her thoughts. "I apologize for being so late," he said, and shifted her weight into a more accommodating position. "My duties kept me back," he explained.

"…Just get me out," she muttered with her eyes still closed. Her head was reeling in pain from the recovery shock, and she desperately needed to breathe some fresh air.

He grinned ever so slightly. "Of course."

ooooo

When they arrived at a safe distance from the prison at a small cavern on the desert island, he set her down on the ground to rest. She dully watched him as he looked over her injuries, proclaiming each one less than severe. He then sat down next to her and heaved a sigh of relief. 

"I guess I owe you one," she said, then with a small smile she added, "Thank you." She wasn't quite fond of the idea of being indebted to a mazoku; a case like that would never end well. She did feel fine being indebted to a _friend_, though. Or at least, he was as much of a friend as a mazoku could ever be to her--she didn't make it a habit to work with mazoku.

Lina rubbed the sore areas of her body that had been tied down with chains. She winced at a couple of harsh bruises on her legs, but nothing was particularly damaging to her body. For the most part, she was just stiff from hanging against the wall for so long.

"So what are your plans now?" Xelloss asked. "To find Gourry-san?"

"No," she promptly replied, and pulled her hair back. As she let it fall, she explained, "He's safer away from me for now."

Xelloss raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I've had a tracking spell cast on me," she explained. "Of course, I slapped a protection spell on myself to counter the effect, but it's not entirely leak-proof. They will still be able to pick up a few hints on my location."

"You plan to travel alone then?" Xelloss inquired.

She nodded. "At least until I find out who's behind this chase. Gourry has no magical abilities so he would be hard to track down on his own." She crossed her arms and legs, taking her favorite thinking position. "Zel has me a little worried, though…"

Xelloss suddenly stood up. "Lina-san, it looks like we have visitors."

"Seems that way," she said without moving from her position. "How many are there?"

He smiled. "Isn't it more fun not to know?"

"I hate the way you think," she said, scoffing at his idea of amusement. She began to cast a spell.

Xelloss turned around. "Behind!"

"Got it!" Lina threw a Flare Arrow in that direction but missed her target. She prepared for defense and looked around for the attacker, but it had vanished.

Then Xelloss disappeared. Lina panicked at first, not feeling particularly safe without his help to back her up, but her insecurities dispelled when he reappeared again a minute later.

"They're gone," he said, and reached out a hand to help her up. "But it's not safe here anymore. We should move."

She nodded and took his hand. He pulled her to her feet and steadied her balance. "Follow me," he said, and led her into the cavern.

ooooo

After they had been traveling for a while, Lina initiated some conversation. 

"Hey, Xelloss."

"Yes, Lina-san?"

She paused to rethink her question. After a second of contemplation, she continued, "What made you come get me?"

He turned his head and smiled at her. "That's a secret, of course."

Lina pulled her hand away and placed it against her hip. "Seriously, now. This is far too strange for you to be helping me out of the blue," she said and wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion.

Xelloss stopped walking. _If I'm right, it should be near here_…

Lina watched him curiously as he glanced around the area, guided by the light emanating from the orb on his staff. He didn't seem to have heard her question, but she didn't quite feel it in herself to ask it again. She saw that he was eyeing a specific wall, and walked over to find out what he was so interested in. "Xelloss?"

He reached out and pressed his palm against the stone wall. It rippled at his touch, and his hand easily passed through the surface. Lina watched in wonder as he extended his other hand to her. "Come, Lina-san," he said, reassuring her with a friendly smile.

She took his hand without hesitation and allowed him to guide her through the wall to the astral plane. It was like a labyrinth of swirls and mirages that faded in and out, oscillating like the tides. Lina was fully absorbed in the scenery as she and Xelloss floated amidst it, admiring the images of consciousness that floated across her eyes.

Xelloss squeezed her hand. "Lina-san, it's best not to get too caught up in the memories of others. You may lose yourself before long," he said. She nodded her understanding, and he continued, "Let's go."

Before long, Xelloss added a question: "How many years has it been?"

She paused to count. "Three, I think?"

"Has it really only been so long?" Xelloss wondered, knowing that three years was only a tiny fragment of his existence. His experiences with the young sorceress were somehow the most entertaining moments of the last century, so it wouldn't seem too odd that he had become somewhat attached to her company. He wondered what made her such an interesting person to be around; what was this power of hers that attracted those around her? Had he fallen to her spell, too?  
Lina's thoughts were elsewhere. She was not particularly concerned about Gourry's safety, for he was carefully hidden in a quiet little town--or at least, that was the last she had heard from him. Zelgadiss, on the other hand, was like a walking beacon. Had he been able to dodge the pursuers, or had he fallen victim to a worse fate?

It wasn't too much longer before Xelloss navigated the way to the end of the labyrinth. They exited through a small haze of light and reappeared in the physical world. Lina looked around, trying to see if she could identify the place. She could, but she was not pleased with the location.

"You brought me to _Zefielia_?" she asked. Dissatisfaction was written all over her face. She had never wanted to return to the town where she had grown up, and right then was not a particularly good time to bring her there. She had already turned to leave when a familiar voice shouted out after her.

"Lina!"

Lina froze in midstep. "It couldn't be…"

She turned around to see a head full of blonde curls rushing in her direction. Though the expression on her face was still wrought with disbelief, her body unconsciously opened her arms to accept the embrace of her friend.

"Lina! It's been so long!" her friend exclaimed, hugging Lina tightly.

Lina pat her friend's head gently. "Mariebell…" she said.

Xelloss hesitated a bit longer before cutting in on the reunion. "Lina-san," he whispered, trying to get the sorceress's attention.

Lina snapped out of her daze. She pried her friend's hands from her and apologized. "I'm sorry Mariebell. I really can't stay for long."

Mariebell gazed at her with worried eyes. "Are you being chased?"

"I…" Lina began. Mariebell hadn't said the word "again," but Lina could hear that it was intended to be there. The girl always had sharp intuition. With a sigh, Lina looked the other way and began to walk. "It's best if you don't get involved."

"Wait!"

Lina was startled to see the girl at her arm. "Wait," she said. "You should come to my place to rest up."

Lina immediately protested, "Don't joke around! This is dangerous!"

"Lina," Mariebell said, emphasizing her sternness. With all seriousness she said, "You know that you won't get another chance like this."

Lina wavered as she looked at the girl's firm expression. She didn't quite feel comfortable including her in this, but at the same time, she knew that the chance was hard to pass up. Chances to rest up would be few and far in-between. "Alright," Lina agreed, conceding defeat. "I'm counting on you."

ooooo

Xelloss accompanied Lina to Mariebell's house up on the hill, a bit distanced from the rest of the town. He observed the wall décor with a curious eye, trying to discern what it was about this girl that miraculously earned Lina's trust. Something about the house made him feel a bit uncomfortable, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. 

Lina turned to face him. "Oh, Xelloss—"

"It's okay," Mariebell said, interrupting her. "Xelloss-san--if I may call you that--_your kind_ sometimes find it particularly unbearable inside of my house because I have charms set up all around the perimeter that absorb astral energy." She paused. "But you hardly look like you feel the effect at all."

He raised an eyebrow. She knew he was a mazoku? He glanced at Lina for an answer, to which she raised her hand and explained, "Mariebell is a specialist of white magic. She would know immediately if anything--any mazoku--breached her barrier."

"I see…" he noted, and rolled the stiffness out of his shoulder. It wasn't that the spell had any particular effect on him, but he did feel a bit heavier under its influence. He did understand the strength of the girl though--Lina would be safe in this haven for a while. It made her both hard to track as well as hard to reach through this barrier. He would just put up with the stress for the moment.

Lina followed Mariebell to the adjacent room. There she joined her on the floor and began to pull off her cape, gloves, and shoes. Then she stepped to the center of magic circle drawn on the carpet and closed her eyes.

"Oh gentle breath; wind that heals. I humbly seek your aid," she murmured. Energy gathered around her in the circle and concentrated to a point above her head, then showered her in a glow that repaired her bodily wounds. Mariebell watched until the process ended, then stepped forward with a change of clothes in her hands. "Here. Rest tonight and resume your journey tomorrow," she said.

Lina looked at her with worried eyes. "Mariebell…"

Mariebell shook her head. "I won't listen. Everything will be fine; you'll see!" she said, then stood up and stepped outside. Lina contemplated the idea for a moment--it seemed so tempting--but made up her mind quickly.

"No. I can't," she told herself, and went back to where Xelloss was waiting.

He cast a questioning look at her. "Not going to stay?"

"We need to leave," she declared resolutely, refitting herself with the rest of her accessories. "I'm not going to sit around in hiding."

ooooo

Xelloss silently followed behind her on the road. It was evening, and Lina aimed to get as far away from the town as she could before camping for the night. It was unlikely that any pursuers would have been able to track them down so quickly, but it was always wise to stay wary. 

"So…" she began. "How far do you plan to follow me?"

"I don't know?" he replied. He sincerely didn't know--he was following her because he there was no where else he needed to be at the moment. It was a whimsical decision. Did he need a better reason to do what he wanted to do? "Does it bother you?" he asked.

"Not really," she answered. Though she would have preferred someone else, she had to admit she was slightly pleased to have his company. Loneliness wasn't exactly a companion she was fond of, and even Xelloss could serve the purpose of keeping it at a distance. She then turned on her heel and walked off to the side of the road. She plopped herself down in a patch of soft grass and rested her head, stretching her body to encompass the broadest amount of area possible.

Xelloss looked confused, but he sat down near her anyway. He saw that her eyes were closed and assumed that he should stay quiet.

After a moment of silence, Lina asked, "What took you so long? If you were planning on saving me, why wait so long? I was in there for a while." She didn't harbor bad feelings against him; on the contrary, she was grateful that he had freed her, but she couldn't shake the question from her mind.

"I had been meaning to do so," he explained, "but I couldn't act right away." When she gave him the _look_, he added, "Juu-ou-sama would be angry with me if I unnecessarily meddled in other affairs. I needed an excuse to do so."

"An excuse?" Lina asked.

"Yes. I couldn't interfere until circumstances were more dire."

Lina paused before responding. For some reason she got the feeling that Xelloss was being sincere for once, but if that was the case she couldn't help but pity him. "Then…doesn't that mean you don't have the freedom to do what you want?"

"I suppose," he answered, unsure of the reasons behind her sudden melancholy tone.

"And that doesn't bother you? You never once wanted to have the freedom to do whatever you wanted to?"

"No…" he replied slowly. It's not like obeying Beastmaster's every call ever bothered him. He was just serving his purpose. But when he saw the sad look in Lina's eyes, he began to question the right of authority his master had over his existence. It's true that sometimes he wished he could interfere--that he could start or prevent things from happening, but he never dared to entertain the thought for too long. Perhaps the girl had a point--perhaps it was this free will that attracted him to her.

"Lie down with me," she suddenly said, bringing him back out of his thoughts. He glanced in her direction to find her patting the ground next to her, waiting to see his reaction, then yielded to her command and rested on his back as well.

She contentedly sighed and commented, "Isn't it great to be alive…?" She caught the glare he gave her and quickly added, "Ah, sorry about that," along with a small laugh, remembering that he didn't respond well to positive life feelings. It was a very calm, clear night, and everything was illuminated by an endless blanket of stars covering the sky. It was so beautiful it almost brought tears to her eyes--an unspeakable brilliance.

"When was the last time you did something like this?" Lina asked.

Xelloss was silent for a moment. "Long, long ago," he finally answered, recalling old memories that had long been buried deep in his mind.

Lina paused before continuing. "You sound like some kind of old geezer."

"That's because I am one."

"That was the point."

He chuckled and turned his face away from her. "The lives of humans are so short," he stated in a casual tone.

"And?"

"And…" he began, searching for words. "I wanted to tell you that these seconds of my life are some of the best I've had in a while," he added with a large, emphasized smile.

"…Don't say something like that so easily," she said, and shot him a dirty look.

He laughed. "Embarrassed?"

"Leave me alone," she spat and rolled the other direction, but he could easily see the redness in the tips of her ears.

He chuckled again. "Sleep well," he said, to which there was no response. He knew he would.

ooooo

"I see the target." 

"Good. You have permission to engage."

"Yes sir. Commencing…"

Xelloss could sense the presence of a pursuer as it approached their location. It was a particularly fast creature with four long, nimble legs. He glanced over at Lina's dormant figure and decided not to wake her up, figuring there would be severe repercussions if he attempted to do so.

He waited silently for the creature's approach and intercepted it--using his staff for defense--as it as it leapt at Lina. He noticed it had particularly sharp and pointy legs for stabbing victims and a strong beak for crushing bones--nothing he needed to be worried about. They were just creatures used to pursue convicts anyway; there was no need for extravagance.

It bounded back from him. He assumed a casual, defenseless position and taunted it with his hand. It snorted and leapt forward to attack him again, but he was one step ahead of the game.

He opened his eyes to savor the moment in which he destroyed the creature, turning it into a pile of black, shimmery dust.

"I hope that didn't wake you," he said.

"It did," Lina muttered. She sat up and looked at him. She was thankful for his help, but his apathy was a bit cruel; it left a bitter taste in her mouth. "What was that thing anyway?" she asked.

"Just some type of pursuer," he replied, and he didn't care to know either. They were simple enough to dispose of, so there was no need to research more deeply into the topic.

Lina didn't feel comfortable about going back to sleep. The night sky that had seemed so open and beautiful just moments before suddenly seemed unbearably suffocating. Xelloss noticed her unease and sat down next to her, placing his hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "Get some rest, Lina-san."

She hesitated for a moment, deliberating the advantages and disadvantages of what she was trying to do, then eased into a comfortable position leaning against him. Fortunately, he was still warm despite not being human. Even though depending on others for feelings of safety was a bit out of character, it alleviated the anxiety she was feeling _at that moment_. She figured she could let it go for once.

He didn't really think anything of it at the time, but later he would realize that the feeling was something he would come to miss. She seemed quite comfortable leaning up against him, so he shifted to accommodate her weight and continued to observe the stars above him until the night was over. There were no more interruptions.


	2. Chapter 2

An Oath to Oblivion – Chapter Two

"They got here quicker than we expected," Xelloss commented as they ran.

"That means that they were able to find Mariebell," Lina explained, and cursed her luck for involving her friend. Mariebell wasn't exactly the type to rant, so that probably meant they pressed her for information. _Please be safe_, Lina prayed.

The footsteps were getting closer. "They're catching up," Xelloss remarked nonchalantly.

Lina anchored her heel into the ground. "Then let's see how they take this. Fireball!"

The spell shot from her hands and exploded upon impact. Its range of effect managed to include a couple of others as well, but more was not far behind. "Gah I'm sick of this already!" Lina whined, pulling a couple hairs from her head.

"But we've only just begun," Xelloss happily remarked.

She shot him a glare. "I don't see you helping out here."

"But…"

"I know, I know. 'I can't get involved.'" She sighed. It was useless to expect his help. Then again, he had just done her a big favor--springing her from prison. She was already in his debt; better not add to what she owed him.

She crouched to dodge an oncoming attack then lashed back at the creature with a punch, knocking it out of the way. It landed on its feet and launched another attack at her, which she countered with a Diem Wing. The spell managed to push a couple of her pursuers back, but they were quick to come back with full force.

"Geh. That does it!" Lina said, and stopped to take on the creatures. She chanted a quick spell and let it loose from her hands. "Blast Ash!"

The creatures were caught in the line of fire and disintegrated, reduced to a pile of dust. Lina wiped her brow and placed her hands on her hips, proud of her work. She turned to Xelloss and gave him the thumbs-up. "How do you like that?"

He gave her a cheery look. "Well that's all and good, but…"

He suddenly lunged forward with his staff, barely skimming the side of her face. She looked flabbergasted as he said, "You missed one."

"Ah--" She swallowed and dropped her head to recollect herself and calm her pacing heart, then met his gaze and said, "Thanks again."

"Anytime," he replied, though they both knew there was no meaning behind the word. He was only helping her as long as nothing was particularly preventing him from doing so. Had there been an obstacle, he might have just stood there and let her be caught. _It was a good thing there wasn't_, he thought, and for once realized that there was something he would have otherwise liked to be disobedient for.

She rotated her wrist, working out the leftover pains from punching her attacker. "Tch. I wish I at least had a clear idea why it is I'm being pursued," she complained with a foul look.

"They didn't explain it to you?"

"When they apprehended me the first time I was told that I had been involved as an accomplice in some sort of scheme for mass murder," she explained. "And from the description they gave me, the ringleader of the operation was a heartless swordsman with silver hair who was responsible for the destruction of a number of towns."

"Zelgadiss-san?" Xelloss asked.

"No way! Someone framed us, and they did a good job of it."

"I see." He pondered the thought for a second. "So then they convicted you without a trial and sent you to prison?" Xelloss asked, piecing the information together. "Now I see. No wonder you're so concerned for Zelgadiss-san."

"Right. That's why I'm trying to find out who it was that leaked this information out in the first place and wring a confession out of them. I'm sick of having high ransoms on my head," she said, recalling events from years ago with Rezo's follower, Eris. Dodging towns meant she would not get good sleep or food, and a hungry Lina…well, it's best just not to go there.

"I have one question, though. How did they manage to restrain you?" Xelloss asked.

Lina blushed. "Th-that's something you don't need to know."

He was confused for a second, but quickly figured the answer out on his own. "Oh, it must have been _that_. That's some really bad timing."

"Drop the subject, will you!" she fumed.

"Then do you have any leads?"

She sighed. "I wish I could say yes…but no." She pressed her fingers to her forehead and closed her eyes to think. "My woman's intuition says it's someone with a grudge against me, but then the question is who? It's not like I go around making enemies of people," she added.

"Maybe not people…" Xelloss commented quietly. The girl had a knack for being the target of vengeance of someone, whether they were human or not. "Perhaps you should start by asking someone who would know about public issues. Amelia-san, maybe?" he suggested.

She moved her fingers from her forehead to her chin, making a thoughtful expression. "Hmm…I guess that's a possibility." Then she gleefully added, "Well, I haven't seen Amelia in a while anyway. It couldn't hurt to visit."

ooooo

The trek to Saillune from Zefielia wasn't a particularly long one, but it would probably still be at least a day's worth of travel. Knowing this, Lina decided it would be best to stock up on food supplies before beginning their quest. 

She handed Xelloss a small gem. "See what you can get for that, and come back with three or four servings of food."

From the weight, Xelloss estimated the money was enough to feed only about two _average_ appetites. "What if it comes up short?"

She gave him a threatening look. "It won't, will it?"

He gave her a very disappointed look. "Lina-san…"

"I know," she said, sighing tiredly. "But there's nothing I can do about it. They took the majority of my possessions when I was imprisoned. This is all I managed to save."

He hesitated before responding, "Alright. I'll help you just this once."

She smiled gratefully at him. "Don't worry. I'll repay you for everything later."

"Sure," he said, and waved to her as he turned to leave.

"Hurry," Lina shouted after him as he vanished. "My stomach can't hold out for much longer!" She then stretched out on the ground to bathe in the sun for a while. Before long, a horrifying thought occurred to her. With a terrified gasp, she shot up and began to break out into cold sweat. "I forgot to tell him not to go near _that_ restaurant…but what are the chances?" She glanced right and left, deliberating whether or not to go after him, finally deciding against it. "Maybe I should start running…"

ooooo

Xelloss had never set foot in Zefielia before. He looked around as he walked, taking note of the lives of its inhabitants and the culture they seemed to exhibit. As the rumors said, the town was filled with heroes and legendary figures of the time, along with aspiring youth. It was interesting to see these people living otherwise normal lives in this kingdom after having retired from their heroic days. 

He casually strolled down the street until he reached the market and began to purchase foodstuffs for the journey. He casually slung the large load over his shoulder and started on his way back out of the town when he was suddenly stopped by a burly looking man.

"Hey you. You look like you've got a good pair on you. Want to take on a job?" the man asked.

Xelloss frowned a bit. "I'm sorry. I'm kind of in a hurry…"

The man slapped him on the back, preventing his escape. "It's a simple job, and I'll make it worth your while," he said. "Ten thousand for just a small delivery."

Seeing that he couldn't easily escape the man's grasp, Xelloss conceded temporary defeat. "Where do I need to deliver it?" he asked in a dull tone.

"You see, my men took a shipment of items with them just this morning along the south road. I'd like you to catch up to them and bring this with you. If you'd come this way…"

The man ushered Xelloss towards his shop, never once releasing his hold on the poor priest. Xelloss looked less than pleased. _Lina-san isn't going to appreciate this, _he thought.

ooooo

The man gestured towards a large wooden crate that was stored alone in the back of his shop. "Of course, I'll provide you with a wheelbarrow and horse to pull this," the man said. 

Xelloss proceeded to get the job over with, but he was startled when he heard snarling come from inside the crate. He whirled around to face the man. "What is inside?" he demanded.

"Oh don't worry. It's friendly," the man responded cheerfully, dodging the question. Xelloss eyed him skeptically as he walked over to help move the crate. "It shouldn't be far down the road. I'll even let you keep the horse. You won't get a better offer," he said.

Xelloss sighed. "Alright," he said, and began helping the man load the cargo onto the wheelbarrow to tie to the horse. As they were finishing up the preparations, a voice called out from the front.

"Ruwaf-san! Are you there?"

The man raised his head. "Come on in!" he shouted back.

A young woman with cropped purple hair walked in, dressed in a waitress outfit. She paused when she saw the scene, but then a look of glee took over her face. "You sold it?" she asked excitedly.

Ruwaf nodded. "This young man here is going to take it to my men up ahead so they can transport it to the buyer."

The woman walked up to Xelloss and took his hand to shake. "Thank you for taking this job. We've had this thing for a while now and it's been a pain to get rid of."

He looked confused. "How did you get a hold of it in the first place?" he asked.

"It's been causing trouble just outside of town for a while now. Since it was driving the customers away, I went out to contain it," she explained.

"That easily?" he wondered. He could tell that, whatever the creature was, it didn't have a nice temper. To the mysterious visitor he asked, "May I have your name?"

She innocently tilted her head to the side, unsure why he was asking. "Luna. Yours?"

The name rang a bell, but he wasn't quite sure why. "Xelloss," he replied.

She smiled. "Nice to meet you. Well if that's all then I have to get back to my job." She turned and waved as she ran off. "See you later Ruwaf-san, Xelloss-san."

Xelloss tried to pinpoint exactly where he had heard the name before, but he ended up shrugging the thought off. Thinking about it any longer wasn't going to help him, and he had other matters to deal with. The cargo was apparently _not_ getting any happier.

ooooo

"What took you…wait, what is that?" Lina asked, jumping up to meet Xelloss. He was leading a horse by its reins with a large bag of food slung over its back, which was fine, but then she noticed that the horse was wheeling along cargo behind it, which was not fine. 

He averted his gaze. "Well, you see…I got forced into taking a job that would require me--us--to take this cargo up to another group along the road," he explained, afraid of her retort. "Oh, did you happen to see them?" he asked.

"Yeah. They passed by a while ago, so they shouldn't be too far down the road," she said, hiding her irritation. She paused before continuing, "You didn't happen to talk to anyone strange there did you…?"

"Hm? No, I just spoke to Ruwaf-san and Luna-san."

A spine tingling sensation paralyzed Lina at the mention of her sister's name. With tiny sweat beads running down her neck, she asked, "The waitress…?"

"I think so," Xelloss replied. He noticed the sorceress's strange reaction and reached out to tap her shoulder. "Lina-san?"

Lina screamed out in complete fear as his finger touched her shoulder. She jumped approximately twenty feet into the air then took off running down the road screaming, "No! Please don't hurt me!" A dustbowl was left behind in her wake.

Xelloss looked after her in confusion. "Was it something I said?" he wondered, trying to think of the few things that could incite such a reaction out of Lina. "Slugs, her sister…" He paused. "What was her sister's name? …Oh! That makes sense. So that was her sister," he said, making the motion of dropping his fist into the palm of his other hand, connecting the ideas. An image of the waitress he saw popped into his head. "They look nothing alike."

He tied the reins of the horse to a nearby tree. "I'll be right back," he told it and vanished.

ooooo

Lina was sitting down next to the road when Xelloss found her. Her head was buried in her arms, which were folded atop her knees, and her shoulders were shaking. He approached her slowly and crouched down before her before softly calling her name: "Lina-san?" 

She twitched slightly at the sound of his voice but did not raise her head. He waited a while for a response, but when she refused to budge he reached out to gently pat her head. At his touch, she raised her head just enough to reveal her teary eyes. They seemed to say the words: I hate you.

He really started to feel a bit guilty for causing her so much torment, despite how much he was enjoying her flood of negative emotions. "I'm sorry. I never mentioned your name to her so you'll be fine," he said.

"If you had, I wouldn't be alive right now to hate you for it," Lina griped. She sniffed and wiped her tears from her eyes, then stood up. A deep breath helped to calm her down. Then she looked at him and added, "If onee-chan knew about me being here after what's happened, do you have any idea what she'd do to me?"

Xelloss stood up as well. "What?"

"She would beat me to a pulp with a bamboo stick--that's what she would do," Lina answered, shuddering at the thought. "You have no idea what she's capable of."

Their conversation was interrupted by the oncoming traffic from down the road. It was the group of merchants that Ruwaf had dispatched earlier that day. That reminded Xelloss of the cargo that he had left behind, and he stepped forward to ask the caravan to wait for him to bring it to them. Before he could do so, though, he noticed something peculiar further down the road coming in their direction.

He shielded his eyes from the sun with a hand to get a clearer view. "That looks like the horse, and it looks rather panicked," he said.

"Why? What did you do to it?" Lina asked, glancing at him inquisitively.

"I left it tied to a tree."

"Then what could have spooked it?"

Xelloss didn't need to answer the question. A small green dragon came swooping down from the sky at the horse and caravan. The horse managed to dodge the path of attack by changing its direction, but the caravan was not so lucky. Lina watched the scene with her jaw hung open in disbelief.

Lina turned to Xelloss and pointed adamantly at the creature in the sky. "You were transporting a _dragon_!?"

He rubbed the back of his head with a hand. "Well, I didn't quite know there was a dragon inside of there," he replied, embarrassed. "When I tried to ask, the owner dodged the question."

"You moron!" Lina shouted. She yelped as the dragon took aim at both of them, flying past at an incredibly high speed. Xelloss stood effortlessly as the gust blew by, but Lina stumbled forward and latched onto his waist for support. "Do something about it!" she demanded, grabbing the collar of his shirt and threatening him with a pair of fangs.

"Well even if you tell me to, I'm not exactly able to do anything to it that wouldn't kill it outright," he said, paying no mind to her sudden ferocity. "That would be something up your field of expertise."

"Stop joking around! I'm not responsible for this!"

"But if you don't do anything about it, those people are going to suffer the consequences," he said, pointing at the group of merchants that was scrambling around for shelter. Their merchandise was practically torn apart, and they seemed ready to abandon it in exchange for their lives.

She groaned. "But what could I do? Dragon skin is incredibly tough, so attacking it with anything but a Dragon Slave probably wouldn't do anything to it."

Xelloss took another look at the dragon. "It still looks like a young dragon. Perhaps an amplified Digger Bolt might be enough to knock it out?"

"Well…maybe," Lina said, pondering the idea. "I guess it's worth a shot."

As the dragon came back around for another wave, Lina began to cast the spell between her hands. When it came to a fairly close distance, Lina released the magic directly at its line of fire. "Digger Bolt!"

The lightning shot forward from the palm of her hand and shocked the dragon. It cried out in response and fell to the ground, but its momentum sent it skidding forward towards Lina and Xelloss. Xelloss quickly lifted Lina, who had no time to respond to the motion, off her feet and took to the sky to avoid the path of the beast. Hand pressed to the heart that nearly leapt out of her chest, she exhaled a breath and said, "That was close."

They returned to the ground next to the medium-sized beast and examined it for signs of consciousness. Thankfully the spell seemed to successfully knock it out. "Well done, Lina-san," Xelloss commented, turning to his companion. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go retrieve the horse," he said, and disappeared to find it.

Lina didn't think much of his actions at first, but then realized what his true intentions were. She then turned to the sky and shook her fist at where she envisioned him to be. "You snake! You're leaving me behind with the responsibilities again!" she shouted after him. Sure enough, she could hear the people in charge of the caravan coming back, and though she still wanted the reward for doing the job, she figured they would be less than willing to pay the sum now.

So she started running down the road, not wanting to stick around to see what their reactions to the catastrophe would be.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**: Sorry to interrupt the chapter transition, but I couldn't resist saying something for very much longer. This story is a bit different from what I used to write--it doesn't have the usual drama/darker tones that characterize my other stories. I tried for a more lighthearted tone this time around, and I'm enjoying it quite a bit at the moment. It's also not completely-explicitly Xelloss x Lina sappy romance. Instead, I'm just playing around with the coupling, letting them interact with one another a bit more naturally. Don't worry though; my biases haven't changed.

* * *

An Oath to Oblivion – Chapter 3

After Lina was sufficiently fed, the two traveled down the road toward Saillune on horseback. Lina insisted on having the reins, so Xelloss took to lounging behind her backwards on the saddle. She wondered if he would fall off sitting that way but figured it wasn't something she needed to be concerned about. He could take care of himself.

She started off with a casual trot. The time was already midday, so reaching Saillune before nightfall was probably out of the question. She wasn't in particularly any hurry to get there either.

She heard Xelloss sipping a cup of tea behind her and rolled her eyes. He turned his head around slightly to ask, "Would you like some?"

"No, that's alright," she responded. Even after three years, he still liked to drink his afternoon tea. She couldn't help but smile a little at the strangely heartwarming thought.

Xelloss noticed that she was suddenly pleased with something, and opened an eye curiously to see if he could figure out what the reason for that was. Lina continued to be lost in thought, and though Xelloss couldn't quite decipher the reasons behind her actions, he found that a silly little grin had also formed on his face. He dismissed her strange behavior from his mind and went back to enjoying his tea, grinning all the while.

ooooo

Since they had made good progress during the day, Lina decided it would be fine to retire a bit early. Fortunately, despite passing around a couple of towns, they were able to avoid any sort of confrontation with people. The lack of delays put them ahead of schedule--the sun was still setting--and thus Lina decided to stop for dinner and rest. 

Lina crouched down next to a stream with a makeshift rod and line in her hands. She was using her magic to attract fish for dinner while Xelloss monitored the small campfire they made. They kept the fire small to prevent the production of larger amounts of smoke, thus keeping their location a bit more concealed from travelers on the road. As a result, it seemed ready to blow out at any second, so Xelloss was stuck watching it.

"Yes!" Lina shouted enthusiastically, pulling out a large trout from the water. Xelloss sighed and shrugged, wondering if she realized she was attracting attention by being noisy.

"Oh well," he thought, but ended up smiling anyway. "Lina-san will be Lina-san."

When she was satisfied with her pile of fish, she began to skewer them and stand them up next to the fire. She was humming a happy tune, much to Xelloss's discomfort, but she was so absorbed in her task that she failed to notice the grimace on his face. He watched her silently with his chin propped in the palm of his hand. _It must be tedious to have to do this all the time_, he thought, not understanding how the sorceress could be enjoying herself.

Despite being twenty-years-old, Lina was still very immature. He did, however, notice that her physical attributes matured. Her face no longer had a childish shape; her cheeks were not as round as they had been before. It gave her face an overall longer shape that made her look older, and consequently more attractive. Despite those changes, she still retained generally the same height and body shape. Her shoulders still looked so small from behind.

She laid her cape down on the ground and sat upon it to stretch and relax. While the fish cooked, she turned to Xelloss and asked, "So what have you been up to all this time?"

"Huh? Oh…just annoying duties and things." Honestly, he had gotten really bored over the years carrying out small errands for his master. That's why he was so glad to see Lina. She at least made things a little more interesting, and she had a habit of attracting trouble--trouble that included him.

"That's all?" she asked, turning back to gaze at the fire. "I haven't seen you around, so I figured you were really busy with something."

A moment of silence passed before she spoke again. "I kind of thought for a while that I couldn't get rid of you, but then you suddenly disappeared," she said and paused again. "It's weird of me to say this, but I kind of missed having you around."

He raised an eyebrow. Was he really hearing her right? "You missed me?"

"Yeah," she said, and looked at him again. "I mean, you always caused a lot of mischief and sent us on wild goose chases, but somehow it still felt like you were part of the group." She scratched her head, then smiled and added, "Zel might not agree, but I know Amelia and Gourry thought of you as one of us."

She missed the disconcerted look on his face. As she began to feast on the fish, Xelloss sat quietly in confusion. _They've just been deceived because I appear human_, he thought. _I've always been a mazoku, and thus I will never be one of you_.

And that was the truth.

ooooo

Lina snored quite loudly in her sleep. She also had a habit of tossing and turning, along with sleep talking. Xelloss watched her amusedly for a while before temporarily leaving her side. 

He arrived at his master's lair to check in. He had been absent for two days, and she had not yet sent word for him. That wasn't too strange, but if she knew where he had been, it was strange that she had not called him back during that time period.

Beastmaster was not present inside of her chambers, so that probably meant that she was outside spending time with her pets. He went outside to see, and sure enough, she was standing in the middle of a pack of wolves. They were all competing for her attention--a normal sight. Strong creatures desired the affection of stronger beings, and Zelas was the strongest of them.

"Is that you, Xelloss?" she asked without turning around. In her left hand she had her usual smoke; her right hand reached down to stroke the muzzle of one of the wolves.

"Yes, juu-ou-sama."

"Back from your little excursion?"

He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Well… I thought you might have an assignment for me."

She tapped the ashes off the tip of her cigarette before responding. "And if I don't?"

He hesitated before responding, unsure whether or not his master was dissatisfied with his actions. If she was, the act of hiding it was strange; if she wasn't, that in itself was strange. He thought carefully about his reply before speaking, "Then I will continue to wait for your command."

She petted the wolf on the head gently before turning around and approaching her subordinate. She stopped before him with her arms crossed, weight shifted onto one leg. "Xelloss, I don't care what you do as long as your allegiance remains with me," she said. "If you find the girl that interesting, then by all means go and amuse yourself. Just make sure to return."

He kneeled before her. "Of course, juu-ou-sama."

She reached down with her left hand to stroke his hair, keeping in mind that he did not appreciate being felt with the same hand that she used to please the other creatures on Wolf Pack Island. She exhaled a long stream of smoke before finally saying, "You're free to go."

He kept his head down as he vanished from her presence. Her reaction had been on the extreme mild side, which confused him, but he figured there was nothing more to what she had shown. Beastmaster wasn't the type to hide feelings of discontent from him.

ooooo

Xelloss returned to find Lina exactly where he had left her. It seemed that her snoring got quieter as the night went along; it had been reduced from a loud rumble to a small hum. She had rolled over onto her side with her cape lazily pulled over her midsection in an effort to fight off the cold. The fire had long been out, and all that was left of it was cinder. 

He pulled off his own cape and set it down atop Lina's sleeping figure, careful not to disturb her rest. He then sat down next to her and rested his head on his arms and knees as he watched her from the side. "Rest well while you can, Lina-san," he whispered.

ooooo

Breakfast the next morning consisted of the rest of the reserves Xelloss had bought from Zefielia. Lina was just biting into the last loaf of bread and stash of fruits when they were interrupted by unwanted visitors. 

"Tell us, are you that ex-convict with the twelve-million ransom on your head?" the group of bounty hunters asked. There were three people present: one seemed to be a skinny looking sorcerer, one wielded a long sword, and the last was a robust man with an axe slung over his shoulder.

"You should turn tail and run now while you have the chance," Lina muttered through a mouth stuffed with food. After she swallowed, she added, "You don't have a chance in hell against me."

Her comment seemed to bring about the opposite reaction. "Now that you've provoked us, there's no way we're leaving without your head!" the swordsman--seemingly the leader--declared. "We, the mighty Dragon-"

"Fireball!"

When the smoke cleared, Lina found Swordboy and Axe-wielder unconscious on the ground, covered in soot. She scratched the side of her head in confusion. "Hm? I could have sworn there were three."

"Flare Arrow!"

Lina caught the glint of fire out of the corner of her eye and rolled to the side to dodge the attack. The surrounding area went up in a small explosion, and after the dust cleared she could see that the Skinny One had escaped into the refuge of a tree above her. She coughed and wafted the dirt away from her face, then stood up to confront her attacker. "Seems like you managed to survive my attack," she said loudly, and put one hand on her hip. She gave him a smug, cocky look, trying to provoke him into letting down his defense.

Xelloss discreetly scooted over to her side and leaned over to whisper, "Lina-san, look there."

She followed the direction of his finger with her eyes and noticed that the rest of her breakfast had been caught in the explosion before. "Ahhh," she whined, jaw dropping in disbelief. "My food."

The sorcerer was not willing to wait until they were done talking, and thus began chanting a spell. "Freeze-"

"_My food_!" Lina screeched angrily, and let loose a spell from her hands. "Mega brand!"

The entire tree went up in smoke, sending the Skinny One flying off into the sky. Lina huffed furiously, but then she suddenly dropped to her knees with waterfalls of tears pouring down from her eyes. "Why do these bullies always show up when I'm trying to eat? I just want to be able to enjoy my food in peace! Why am I always being picked on?" she whined childishly.

"Lina-san," Xellos said as he tapped on her shoulder.

"What is it," she began in a threatening tone, but her face brightened when she saw what he had to offer. "Ah! For me?" she asked, and clasped her hands together joyfully.

He gave her the handful of apples that he managed to save from the explosion before and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, well," he said, and left her alone to devour the fruit as he walked away to offer the horse some water.

ooooo

It wasn't a good idea to approach Saillune as she was--someone might recognize her--so Lina planned to change into a disguise to hopefully offset her pursuers for a little. The city, with all its justice maniacs, would probably be in an uproar over her escape. Parading into it was probably out of the question. 

She pulled half of her hair back with a couple of hairpins and pulled on a common blouse and skirt that hopefully wouldn't make her stand out as much in the crowd. She ditched her usual accessories and fought with a pair of boots that an average country girl would wear. Then she handed her possessions over to Xelloss for safekeeping, since he didn't plan on following her into the capital. They both figured that Amelia wouldn't respond well to their current partnership, so they decided to save themselves some hardship and avoided the situation entirely.

Lina let Xelloss handle the reins for the rest of the trip and consequently sat sidesaddle behind him. She wasn't particularly used to sitting that way, but she figured it was unavoidable while wearing a skirt. She sighed. _That's why I hate wearing skirts_, she thought.

"We'll probably reach Saillune before noon," Xelloss commented, glancing around the area to see how much further they had left to travel. If he was correct about their location, they would be able to see the city after crossing the large hilly area in front of them on the road.

"Most likely," Lina replied. She was struggling a bit with her balance as the horse trotted along. She had one hand atop the horse's back and the other clutching onto Xelloss's cloak, but that overall did not offer much help. Enduring it for the rest of the trip might be a bit uncomfortable.

Xelloss glanced over his shoulder. "Lina-san, are you sure you're okay back there?"

"Of course," she replied, forcing a smile.

He opened an eye to look at her. "Really, now?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, and averted her gaze.

He closed his eye again and turned his head forward. "Wouldn't it be better for you if you sat in front of me?" he suggested.

Her eyes widened for a second, but then she laughed nervously and replied, "No, that's okay…W-wait what are you-"

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her around, placing her down gently in front of him. "See, isn't that better?" he asked, fully aware of the bright red color that swept across Lina's cheeks. He even poked his face into her space to further annoy her.

She buried her face in her hand and turned away from him. "This guy…" she muttered at first, knowing that the mischievous priest enjoyed playing these games with her. But then she soon changed her sentiments. "Oh well, whatever is fine," she thought, and gave in. It certainly was more accommodating for her to sit in front of him, supported by his weight and arms. It just felt a bit out of character.

ooooo

Saillune was just a bit further down the road, so they abandoned the horse and traveled the rest of the trip on foot. As they approached the entrance to Saillune, Lina initiated a conversation topic she had been trying to avoid. "Hey, Xelloss… I know I owe a lot to you right now, so if you think of something just let me know," she humbly said. Somehow, the thought that he would ask for something completely outrageous never crossed her mind, and she would soon come to regret making the offer. 

"Hmm repayment…" Xelloss paused for a second to think, but then an interesting idea came to mind. Expecting a great reaction out of it, he suggested, "How about a kiss?"

"K-k-k-kiss!?" Lina repeated, alarmed and blushing furiously at the idea. "S-stop joking around! How could you even ask for such a thing from a pure-hearted maiden like myself?"

He chuckled and leaned in closer. "Then what else would you have me ask for?" he inquired, giving her a serious look in the eye.

Lina took a step back._He's not being serious, is he, _she wondered. Too shocked to react, she gazed at him with the helpless look of a deer, unmoving.

Xelloss managed to keep the joke up for only a second longer before he burst out into laughter. He fell to the ground clutching his sides, laughing hysterically like a hyena. Lina was dumbfounded for a moment before anger took over, spreading slowly across the features on her face. "Why, you..."

Xelloss phased out, dodging her elbow that smashed into the ground and sent chunks of debris flying into the air. He reappeared behind her in the air, still fighting to catch his breath as he laughed uncontrollably. Numerous veins began to pop out of Lina's skull; fire ignited in her eyes. She quietly began to mutter a spell.

Xelloss paused in his laughter. "Hm?"

Lina suddenly whirled around. "…by the power you and I possess! Dragon Slave!"

He smiled and vanished, dodging the line of fire that shot into the sky. "I'll take that reaction for now until I think of something better," his voice echoed. Lina was left seething to herself, cursing him and his stupid sense of humor. She would get him back for that one someday.

ooooo

Luckily, it seemed like no one recognized her under the pretense of being an ordinary girl from the countryside. She was right in predicting that groups of bounty hunters and heroes would be on high alert after her escape from Noonbaga; they flocked the streets like a clan of rats in a maze. Fortunately, they were so wrapped up in proving their status as "most powerful" to one another that she was able to make her way to the palace grounds effortlessly. Knowing it would be difficult to actually get into the castle to speak to Amelia, she instead approached a guard and asked, "Is Princess Amelia going to appear in public today?" 

"Yes ma'am. The princess will be delivering an important speech today in the town square. All are encouraged to attend," he replied.

"Great! Thanks!"

As Lina turned around to leave, the guard spoke up. "Wait a minute."

_Damn_, Lina thought, thinking her guise had been seen through. She slowly turned around and innocently asked, "What is it?"

The guard approached her slowly with a serious look on his face. _Great, what do I do now_, Lina wondered. She glanced around in all directions to see if there was somewhere she could lure him to first before disposing of him, but unfortunately the city was so populated at the time that it was an impossible idea. She hid her hand behind her back and prepared a sleeping spell, just in case there was no room to run.

He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling it forward. Lina panicked and prepared to fire off the spell, but she was interrupted when he asked, "Are you by any chance an expert pastry chef?"

"Huh?" Lina wondered aloud, making a strange face at him. The spell made a small popping sound as it dispelled from her fingertips, scattering a couple of small sparks into the air. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, you should never judge a person by their appearances," he replied.

Lina sighed and slapped a hand to her face. Did everyone from Saillune make that assumption? "Now look here…"

"Then, are you trying to say you're some sort of dangerous criminal that's capable of mass destruction and chaos?" the guard asked, leaning in threateningly.

Lina backed up defensively and started to laugh nervously. "Of-of course not! That's absolutely absurd!" She put her hand effeminately in front of her mouth and laughed some more. "A beautiful young woman like me? No way!"

He glared at her for a good while before laughing along with her. "I was just joking! Don't look so scared little girl. I was just teasing you because you were cute," he said.

"Eh? Is that so?" Lina exhaled a sigh of relief. _That scared me_, she thought.

"Gah!"

Lina blinked. The voice sounded incredibly familiar. She spun around to find Amelia standing there before her, pointing at her in disbelief. The girl looked like she had seen a ghost.

"L-L-L-Lin-"

Lina quickly dashed over and slapped a hand over the princess's mouth, preventing the girl from saying another word. She turned to face the guard and awkwardly laughed again. "Well what do you know! I didn't think that little Amelia-san was the princess of Saillune."

The guard raised an eyebrow. "You've met?"

Amelia struggled to escape Lina's grasp, but Lina kept a firm hold on the princess. "Ahaha, we ran into each other before," she replied.

He paused. "What was your name again?"

Lina searched through her mind for a quick response. "L-Linda."

Amelia broke free of Lina's grasp. She turned around to face her and prepared to lecture the sorceress, but after seeing Lina's subtle look, she refrained from doing so. Instead, she turned to the guard and said, "Thank you for ushering my friend Linda-san to the castle. You are dismissed."

He saluted her and strode back to his post. After he left, Amelia turned to Lina and put her hands on her hips. "Lina-san, I hope you have a good explanation for all of this," she said.

Lina scratched her head, frustrated and unable to believe what just happened. "Trust me, I do," she said. "Well, I guess now I don't have to go around town thinking of a way to meet with you."

Amelia was skeptical of her friend's sudden appearance. She glanced around warily, afraid that someone might recognize Lina and make the incorrect assumption that the princess was consorting with criminals. She stepped closer to Lina and whispered, "Lina-san, why don't you go wait inside the castle for me? You'll be safe in the guest room. Do you remember where that is?"

"Sure I do," Lina replied, wondering why the princess was being all discreet all of a sudden.

"Then I'll return to hear your story later today. I have to take care of some things first."

Lina watched as the princess walked off, not once glancing back at her. She put a finger to the side of her head and thought, "She has gotten taller…" Then she scowled as she added, "And it seems like her breasts got bigger _again_."

She kicked a small rock in frustration and stomped off towards the palace, heading towards her destination to wait. She was _not_ feeling pleased.


	4. Chapter 4

An Oath to Oblivion – Chapter Four

Lina walked leisurely through the palace, soaking up all the nostalgia it had to offer. The place hadn't changed at all--not that it ever would--and Lina traversed its many halls. She stopped by the entrance to the yard, decided it would be a while before Amelia returned anyway, and stepped outside.

She walked straight up to the edge of the balcony and pressed her hands against the white railing as she leaned out over the expanse of garden before her. It was still carved into the shape of a maze, and the bushes were still tidy and neatly trimmed as always. The sudden desire to navigate it struck her, but it was not the right time for jovialities. She ran her fingers through her hair as a breeze blew by to keep it from coming into contact with her eyes. As she stared out into the sky, she softly murmured, "It feels like it was just yesterday."

Her peace would not last long. She jerked her head up as she caught a glint out of the corner of her eye. There was something crawling towards her along the palace walls, and it didn't look friendly. Lina glanced around. _It'd be bad to start a fight here_, she thought, and quickly grabbed the nearest weapon—a sword that hung on the wall. To her surprise, she realized it was an actual sword for battle rather than just a piece of décor, and she wondered what a pacifist like Prince Phil was thinking when he put decorations like these up on his palace walls. Despite that, she was grateful, and she backed up to a more open area on the patio where she would stand her ground.

She brought the sword down to intercept its crushing jaws but was knocked back by the sheer force of the creature. _It's heavy_, she noted, and grasped the sword more tightly in her hands. She didn't want to cast magic while she was on palace grounds, but if she had to she would.

Lina dodged a couple more attacks and made a couple valiant slashes at the creature, managing to strike it a couple of times. It seemed unfazed, though, and continued to assault her without mercy. As she took a step back, she felt a cold railing press into her back and glanced behind her to see that she was standing on the edge of the elevated patio. "Damn!" she cursed, and felt a bead of sweat trickle down the side of her face. _How did I suddenly find myself in this pinch_, Lina wondered, swallowing a knot out of her throat. She turned back to face the pursuer, grit her teeth as it crouched, and readied herself as it dashed forward with a new attack.

Lina managed to push it back again, but she fell backwards over the balcony with a small yelp. The black creature growled slightly before it rushed forward and leapt over the edge of the balcony to chase after her. It scanned the area below it for any sign of the sorceress.

"I've got you now."

Lina let loose the fireball from the palm of her hands and sent it into the pursuer, incinerating it on the spot. She was standing with her back pressed against a window, waiting for a chance to attack it in the air where it wouldn't leave damaging effects on the palace. After it was over, Lina exhaled a breath of relief and cast a small levitation spell to help her back up to the patio. She dusted the ashes off of her skirt and glanced around, hoping that the pursuer had come alone. Warily, she walked back into the palace and headed towards the guest room, finally abandoning her worries when it seemed like nothing else was tailing her.

ooooo

About an hour later, Amelia arrived to meet her guest and closed the door gently behind her. She was still dressed extravagantly in a new pink dress that draped over her shoulders and wrapped nicely around her chest. The appearance of her longer legs were enhanced by the skirt that came up shorter in the front than it did in the back, and Lina couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of her former disciple's nicer figure.

Upon closing the door to public eye, however, Amelia immediately reverted to a younger mental age and leapt at Lina, excitedly exclaiming her name. Lina, surprised, caught the girl and swung her around before placing her gently down on her feet. "I haven't seen you in so long!" the princess exclaimed.

Lina blinked at Amelia then stifled a laugh. The immature bit was slightly more than she was expecting, but it was incredibly heartwarming to see that--even after three years--she was the same person in the little princess's eyes. Amelia looked confused by her laughter, but then Lina said, "I hope you've been doing well."

The princess smiled and nodded, but then her expression turned sad. "I've been so worried for you, ever since I heard about what happened," she said, trailing off at the end of her sentence. Then she looked at Lina with a serious expression on her face. "Lina-san, I have an important question to ask of you."

Lina blinked at the girl. "What is it?"

"Lina-san, did you really sell yourself out to evil?" Amelia asked with tears brimming in her eyes.

The comment was enough to make Lina plant her face into the ground, unable to believe what she was hearing. She then shot up in Amelia's face and angrily retorted, "Now look here! I have been framed--_framed_!" She stomped her foot as she spoke and growled at the end of her sentence; she was completely infuriated.

Amelia put her hands up before her defensively. "Ok, I understand," she meekly replied, trying to quell Lina's electrifying wrath that was shooting sparks everywhere. "I thought as much, but the rumors sounded just like you."

Lina gave her a questioning look. "What rumors?"

"They say that there's a member of the group whose appearance can even spook dragons."

"_What_ did you just say?" Lina demanded, growling and rolling up her sleeves. She hadn't heard a reference to that nickname of hers in a while, and it didn't necessarily bring back the most pleasant of memories. It was just as humiliating as it always had been, and the name struck a particular chord inside of her that erupted in a bout of anger.

Amelia stepped back and waved her hands frantically. "That's just what I've heard!" she exclaimed in her defense. As Lina backed off and angrily folded her arms to brood over what she had just heard, the princess continued, "I also heard that there was a heartless swordsman involved—one with silver hair."

Lina closed her eyes and scratched her head. "Don't tell me you believe it's Zel."

Amelia shook her head. "No…I know he wouldn't do that. It's just…since the descriptions sounded like they were describing you, I thought that maybe, just _maybe_…"

Lina sighed and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Listen here, Amelia. Just because people say it's us doesn't mean it's actually us," she said, taking her usual teacher stance. Then she raised her head. "Speaking of which, do you know where Zelgadiss is?"

Amelia slowly shook her head. "I haven't heard anything about him. They were only able to catch you."

Lina felt a weight lifted off of her shoulders. _Good, at least Zel is still safe_, she thought. She wasn't sure what she would do if he had been captured—it was already too risky for her to be out and about. She probably would have gone after him and gotten herself recaptured in the process. The best option would have been for her to go into hiding like Gourry had—like Mariebell had suggested—but her character would not allow that kind of thing. And if she didn't act, then who else would? She was always the one making the calls; she was always the one executing the plans. Lina turned to Amelia and said, "I want you to tell me everything you've heard. Maybe that'll give us a clue as to who's behind this entire plot."

"I haven't heard much about the people themselves, aside from what I've told you," Amelia said, regrettably. Then her face brightened. "But I do know that they're headed east toward the Desert of Destruction."

Lina raised an eyebrow. _Why would they be headed there_, she wondered. There was nothing left out there, now that Hellmaster was gone. It was literally a deserted, barren land. Realizing that it was a place of high suspicion, Lina embedded the information into her memory and said, "Okay. Thanks for your help." She turned and headed towards the door.

"Leaving so soon?" Amelia asked, feeling sad to see her friend leave.

Lina paused. Then she whirled around with a large grin on her face and rubbed her hands together. "Actually, do you have anything to eat? I'm starved."

Slightly beginning to regret having made the offer, Amelia sighed and replied, "Of course. Follow me." She then ushered the sorceress out of the room, wondering how the chef would respond to the large meal order he was about to receive.

ooooo

Xelloss was doing his own investigating. Because he wasn't involved in all of this, he could move more freely than Lina. Taking advantage of the fact, he toured the city and taverns to collect information on the strange parade of destruction. The bounty hunters weren't exactly the most reserved people in the world, as long as you knew how to cater to their inflated egos.

From what he had gathered, it seemed like a pair of adventurers were in charge of a large army of bandits. They trampled towns and stole many things, commanding and conquering as they went. The description of the two definitely resembled Lina and Zelgadiss, and if he didn't already know that they were not involved, he might have guessed it was them. There were some facts that didn't match up, though, like how the girl had an apparently impressive figure and a seductive look. Xelloss grinned amusedly, recalling how sensitive Lina was about her lack of curves. He personally had no preference, being a mazoku and all, so it was nothing he cared to know about. Discarding that piece of information, he heard that the group was on the move eastward, toward the Desert of Destruction.

He frowned. The only things left in the Desert of Destruction were chaotic miasma and lost followers of Hellmaster, among which were probably rebellious minions. Without a mazoku lord to act as a guide, subordinates tended to drift and gather power in an attempt to rise to a greater status in the hierarchy. No doubt these were probably among that category of misfits. He would have to keep an eye out in case someone attempted to topple him from his pillar.

_Xelloss_.

He raised his head. _Juu-ou-sama?_ She was communicating to him through telepathy, something he knew she wasn't particularly fond of doing. It meant that what she had to say was important.

_Follow them_, she ordered, knowing he would understand what she meant. He acknowledged the job obediently, finding a sort of humor in the irony that his and Lina's objectives overlapped again for the first time after three years. It had been a long hiatus, and the opportunity was a welcome one.

He finished his cup of water and left a coin on the table for tip. The waitress shot him a dirty look, upset that he hadn't ordered anything more than a free glass of water. He grinned as he walked out, licking his lips slightly at the vibes of intense dislike that were being sent in his direction.

ooooo

Lina patted her stomach contentedly. She picked at her teeth with a toothpick in her other hand and sighed loudly. Amelia frowned at her friend's lack of manners. "_Lina-san_," she stressed, trying to encourage the sorceress to stop the boorish behavior. It was scaring the servants away.

Lina waved her off. "Sorry, sorry. I just haven't had a good meal in a while," she explained, then slapped her knee and let loose an annoying laugh. Amelia grimaced and sighed, realizing the sorceress hadn't matured in the slightest.

Then Lina stood up. "Guess I gotta go now," she announced, and gave Amelia a thankful smile. She held out her hand as she sincerely added, "Thank you, Amelia."

Amelia glanced at the extended hand, then at Lina, and tears formed in her eyes. She declined the hand, instead opting to hop forward out of her seat and hug Lina tightly. She had really missed her, after all, but those adventurous days were over. She was growing into her many responsibilities, and they needed her to be there for them. Lina smiled, hugged her back, and said, "You've really grown, Amelia."

Amelia sniffed a bit as she let Lina go and watched endearingly as her friend walked away. "Don't be gone too long, Lina-san," she whispered, hoping that Lina would return someday soon.

ooooo

As Lina reached the edge of Saillune, she noticed that Xelloss stood just a ways off with her possessions in his arm. He cast a casual grin at her and asked, "Did things go well for you?"

She nodded. "They appear to be heading east," she replied, taking her things from him. "If we head out now, we could probably catch up to them before they reach the borders."

He kept his back to her as she hid within the brush to change. She didn't need to know the extra information he had to offer, but she would probably reprimand him later for keeping it a secret. He made a sound nod as he decided to keep it from her anyway—he wasn't the Mysterious Priest for nothing, after all. And it wasn't exactly his place to share secrets about the network of the mazoku race.

Lina hopped out of the bushes with renewed energy. "Ah, it feels so good to be back in my clothes," she commented, and happily twirled around to relish in her freedom.

Xelloss smiled at her cute behavior. As long as she wasn't excessively shining with happiness, he could be charmed by her displays of general contentment with life. He stepped forward and reached his hand out to the side of her head, causing Lina to withdraw shyly from his touch. "You have leaves in your hair," he said as he untangled them from her red locks. Since he wasn't looking directly at her face, he couldn't see her blush, but he could feel the emotion seeping from her and grinned. Lina was far too easy to embarrass, and he enjoyed teasing her so.

Lina could feel her ears turn a fine shade of red. She was growing sensitive to Xelloss's touch, and the thought of it began to bother her. She knew that he was just doing this to her for his own entertainment; her rampant emotions must have been a tasty treat for him. But it is true that his small displays of affection were slightly reminiscent of Gourry's guardian treatment that she had grown so used to, except for the fact that Xelloss didn't see her as a child. He finished preening her hair before her blush had a chance to go away, so she quickly thrust the commoner outfit she had borrowed from him into his arms and turned her head away. "Thanks," she muttered quietly.

He was a bit taken back by her sudden response, but he cheerily replied, "No problem at all, Lina-san." He could feel her embarrassment as she turned around and cleared her throat, but what he did not pick up on was the accelerated heartbeat in her chest. Lina sincerely hoped it was just from the panicked jolt she felt while trying to hide her embarrassment from him. She didn't even want to contemplate the other options.

"Let's get moving," she said.

ooooo

Lina filled Xelloss in on the details of her encounter with Amelia as they walked down the eastern road. She described everything from the encounter with the guard (Xelloss chuckled slightly when he heard the part about not judging outward appearances) to her discussion with the young princess. Xelloss wasn't too interested—after all, one of the last memories he had of Amelia was her agonizingly obnoxious song about life being wonderful—but he saw the nostalgic look in Lina's eyes as she spoke of the girl. She always had that look in her eyes when she was talking about her friends. It was odd, but he wondered if she ever had that look when thinking about him during the last three years. That is, of course, assuming she ever thought of him at all.

"Are you listening?"

He lifted his head with a small "Hm?" But then his eyes flew open, and he quickly pulled Lina into his arms and teleported them a couple of yards away. A large ball of acid splattered on the vacated ground, burning away at the grass and dirt and leaving only strange-smelling vapors in its place. With his eyes back in their usual upturned state, he set Lina down and calmly instructed her to cover her nose and mouth. "The fumes are toxic," he explained.

She did as she was told and pulled her cape over her nose and mouth. Her head was already feeling a bit fuzzy from having inhaled a tiny amount of the noxious fumes, but she managed to keep her knees from buckling through sheer willpower. Xelloss extended an arm protectively in front of her and stepped forward, glancing around to locate the attacker.

He didn't have to look for long. It stepped out on its own, crawling down from the branches of a tree and discarding its use for camouflage. It resembled a chameleon, except much larger in size—it seemed even bigger than Lina--but its true color was black—the same glossy black skin that all the other pursuers had. Its eyes were the only distinct part of its body, and they glistened with an eerie, gemlike blue.

Lina prepared to draw her sword, but Xelloss motioned to her to put it away. It was unnecessary to draw a blade against their visitor since it harbored no feelings of aggression. The creature took note of the gesture and licked its lips as it stepped forward, eyes rolling around aimlessly in their sockets. And then it spoke. "The konvikt, Lina Inversse, pleas'sstep forward," it hissed, drawing out the sharper sounds of the tongue.

Xelloss felt the small weight of Lina's hand touch his arm and dropped it obediently. She took a step forward, noting with displeasure how the smell seemed to intensify, and halted in her spot. The creature's eyes seemed to focus on her for a short moment, then it licked its lips and its eyes resumed their directionless behavior. Lina grimaced a bit at the sight but held her courage close as she responded, "What do you want me for?"

"I am herrrre to deliverrrr a mes'ssage," it replied and made a clicking sound with its tongue. "A deal iss to be made in ex'xchange for your f'reedom."

She narrowed her eyes. "Deal?"

"Yess. We have our sights'set on the priesst that t'ravelss with you."

Lina blinked and turned to look at Xelloss. "Why are they after you?" she asked.

He shrugged. "What would be the fun in knowing?" he jokingly inquired.

She sighed. "What's the point?" she muttered, wondering why she had asked him in the first place. Then she turned to the creature and pointed a finger at it. "Look here. Even if I wanted to get rid of him for you (_which sometimes I do_, she admitted silently), I wouldn't be capable of doing it."

The creature then made a terrible noise that somewhat resembled a witch cackle. "_Kill_? Noo thats'not the kase at all. We want his assisstance."

"With what?" Lina inquired.

"That'ss none of your konssern."

Lina bared her fangs at it. The speech patterns were already really getting on her nerves, and now it had the audacity to deem her unworthy of information? "Now, look--"

Xelloss caught her shoulder with a hand as she stepped forward, pulling her back as she advanced on the creature. She gave him a confused look as he stepped in front of her with a cheery look on his face. "Well I might consider hearing you out," he began.

"Ssplendid."

Xelloss held up a finger. "That is, of course, if I didn't already have an objective of my own. I'm afraid I'll have to decline your invitation. I hope that doesn't cause you any problems," he answered casually. Then he opened his eye and did his trademark finger waggle.

The creature looked less than thrilled to hear his response. "Very well thenn," it replied with a hiss as it turned around and camouflaged into the tree. The last thing Lina saw as it faded was its tail slithering along behind it like a snake returning to its burrow, momentarily giving up on its prey. And then she saw the faint glimmer of its sapphire eyes amongst the brush of leaves. "We shal'ssee if your decissssion was a wissse one."

Lina felt a chill run up her spine. Slimy things—or things that resembled creatures that are slimy—weren't exactly on her list of favorite things in the world. She coughed a bit and squinted her eyes, attempting to work out the rest of the poison that had invaded her body. Her vision was still a bit blurry--it focused in and out on things, and the world felt like it swirled around her. Xelloss noticed her faltering step and grabbed her upper arm to hold her steady as they walked. "The effect of the poison should fade away on its own," he said. "Try to hold out until then, Lina-san."

She nodded. He paused before continuing. "Perhaps we should rest until you feel better? I could scout ahead," he offered, though the offer was made in his own interest. His responsibility to his master overruled his responsibility, or lack thereof, to their companionship. It was a sad truth, but they both knew it deep down in their hearts.

She grabbed his cloak and stumbled into him at first, then regained her balance and looked him in the eye. "Because you were ordered to?" she asked, suspicious of his motive.

"Who knows?" he replied in his usual secretive tone, impressed as always that she was right on the dot.

She stared him straight in the eye. "What do you know that I don't?" she asked in a hushed, mellow voice. As she turned her head away, she added, "Not that I expect you to answer. I just wanted…you to…"

He caught her as she passed out and lifted her into his arms. He had hoped that she would be strong enough to tolerate the effects of the poison, and that they would be able to continue their journey together. Unfortunately, it seemed as though it had ultimately been too much for her. He teleported them both to a nearby creek where he laid her body down and placed a wet towel over her forehead to ameliorate her sudden fever. He knew she would be fine after an evening of rest. He only felt slightly remorseful over the fact that they would have to split paths here. He couldn't afford to wait for her while the poison ran its course.

Xelloss took one last look at her before vanishing into the air. Lina muttered something in her uneasy sleep, but he was already too far gone to catch what it was. She would tell him what it was later when they ran into each other again, but until then he would continue his course of action as he deemed it fit.


	5. Chapter 5

An Oath to Oblivion – Chapter Five

_"Are you sure you're okay with that?"_

_"Of course! Besides, I think they need me here."_

_Lina gazed longingly at her blond companion. They had been traveling together for so long that she felt insecure at the thought of leaving him behind, but she knew it was the best course of action—the best choice to make regarding his safety. She couldn't allow herself to selfishly request his company when she herself was the danger to them both._

_He caught the look she gave him out of the corner of his eye and smiled. "It'll be all right," he reassured her, and gave the top of her head a gentle pat. Then he turned his back to her and waved as he walked off, oblivious to the tears that formed in her eyes as she watched his back grow ever smaller._

"Gourry!"

ooooo

Lina rose with a start, reaching out for her male companion. Her fingers sifted through the air, grasping nothing. She paused in that position for a moment to register the reality before her, then her eyes became sad. "It was a dream," she told herself.

Though Gourry had never left her side, their relationship had taken a turn in the past couple of years. Though she wasn't sure when it began, Lina could feel him growing distant as the days passed. But since she was naïve in dealing with relationships, she made no attempt to correct the problem before it had a chance to reach fruition. Before she knew it, Gourry had gone off somewhere far beyond her reach. He was no longer the guardian she once knew; the world reflected differently off his older eyes. And though he no longer saw her as a child, he never once thought of her as a _woman_. She would always just be a friend in his eyes.

When she finally realized the truth behind his feelings, Lina felt a mix of emotions weighing down her mind. She wished that she could forever stay young, thinking that she would much prefer some affection over none at all. She even tried to act the part, but he wouldn't respond to her like he used to. He gave her space, and that made her unhappy. But as time rolled on, Lina came to terms with their evolved relationship, understanding with her new level of maturity that a romantic relationship wasn't the only option. Perhaps Gourry had instinctively sensed that a long time ago, and maybe that was why he never took a step forward.

That, however, never meant Lina wasn't hurt.

She groaned and dropped her head forward, rubbing her aching temples with the tips of her fingers. It felt like she had just risen from a coma; her head was throbbing so badly that it started to impair her senses. A white cloth fell from her forehead and floated limply into her lap. She paid it no mind at first, but then realized the meaning of its presence as her memories came rushing back into her.

With a start, Lina sat upright and turned around, looking everywhere for Xelloss. When only the whistle of the wind responded to her qualms, her shoulders dropped as she softly murmured, "He's gone."

She carefully picked the cloth up and slowly clenched it in her bare hand. It was dry--he must have left a long time ago. She looked at her other hand and realized that her cape had been thoughtfully spread out beneath her. Her accessories were gathered in a small pile in the corner, right next to a small pile of fruit, too. Glancing up at the sky, she realized that night had fallen long ago. There she was, alone in the middle of the night under a blanket of stars. The moonlight filled her with nostalgia as she recalled the evening they spent together just two nights ago. Two nights, three years—the comparison was hardly fair. His kindness was even more unfair. Why did he have to treat her so nicely if he was just going to go running back to his master's feet, anyway?

She brought her knees up to her chest as she began shining apples. The air was a bit frigid, but she didn't feel coordinated enough yet to stand up and search for firewood. As she blew on the skin of the apple and watched it reflect the color of the moonlight, she repeated her incomplete thought from earlier: "I just wanted him to make his own decision for once."

But that wasn't the whole truth. She didn't want to admit it, but deep down she knew that she really just wanted to be able to trust him. He had been so reliable for the past couple of days that she had begun to think he was really there _for her_. Thinking back on it, she was probably just turning a blind eye to the truth that she didn't want to see. She knew that his loyalties would always stay with his master; that's why the mazoku realm was entirely different from her own. Relationships weren't built on the foundation of trust--they were built around the concept of owing power to a higher being.

She wiped away the sticky sweat sitting on her brow and bit into the apple, savoring the sweet taste that flooded into her mouth. She swallowed and sighed, openly lamenting the lack of company, for food did not taste very good when eaten alone.

ooooo

Lina traveled the rest of the night with the moon at her back, finally setting foot on the desert sands when the pink hues of morning began to brush their color across the lightened sky. She dabbed a couple drops of sweat from her neck and swiped her hair back from her face. Though it was still only morning, the desert was already uncomfortably stifling. As Lina looked off in the direction of the rising sun, she unhappily noted that the trek awaiting her would be a rather strenuous test of her endurance.

It looked like the heat wasn't the only thing waiting for her. She could make out a shadowed figure approaching her from the horizon. She couldn't help but smirk a bit at the irony of the situation. "Now doesn't this look familiar," she mused, recalling times in the outer world and their encounters with Valgaav. "Based on past experience, a surprise attack seems in order here."

Her prediction was correct. As soon as she had finished her sentence, she pulled up a defensive barrier just in time to offset the path of an offensive spell. Apparently her attackers all shared the same brash personality, she noted wryly. _Can't they try something new for once_, she wondered in agitation.

The spell was followed by a rather obnoxious laugh that sent chills up and down Lina's spine. It was reminiscent of an old companion's rather unsettling cackle that she would prefer never to hear ever again, except to a painfully high-pitched tone that resembled screeching more than it did laughing. She cringed and covered her ears to the best of her ability, but it still only muffled the terrible noise at most. The woman came to a stop in front of Lina before she could even recover from the aftershock of having her hearing impaired.

The woman had a short stature but a rather impressive rack and a nice set of curves to boot. Like Lina, her hair appeared red in hue, but it resembled a darker shade of burgundy as opposed to Lina's fiery red. Lina frowned as she looked over her style of dress; it rather closely resembled her own, and she could see where the rumors went wrong. Obviously the woman had chosen her garments to match on purpose, and Lina was _not_ flattered. Her fangs were exposed as she growled in irritation and clenched her hand into a fist, a clear sign that her violent tendencies were about to resurface. Someone was going to get hit, and someone was going to get hit _hard_.

"And who might we have here? Aren't you supposed to be in prison?" asked the woman in a sugar-coated, breathy voice as she placed a hand on her hip. Lina cringed a bit; goose bumps appeared on her skin. It gave her the creeps to see someone who even remotely resembled her acting all feminine and promiscuous; a bit nightmarish, in fact.

Putting up her usual cocky attitude, Lina turned loose a look of belittlement and said, "Sorry to disappoint, but no prison can match up to Lina Inverse." She tossed her hair back and put her other hand on her hips, attempting to squash her onlooker's pride.

She somewhat succeeded. The girl pursed her lips, and the playful flicker left her eyes as she drew her sword. "Well, let's see if you're really all that you say you are."

Lina was taken a bit off guard when the sorceress launched herself at her with a Ray Wing spell, barely managing to dodge the attack by rolling off to the side. She pulled her short sword out in time to deflect a follow-up slash as it came down on her, deflecting it into the ground. The sword-wielding sorceress grinned as she spoke. "My name is Lyserra. The rest you can speculate on your own."

Lina kicked the girl back using all the force she had. _It looks like we're about equal in terms of swordsmanship_, she thought, considering the possibility of Lyserra even being slightly more skilled than she. That last strike had overpowered her block, and she was lucky to have sidestepped it in time to avoid a direct hit. Perhaps her best chance at winning would be through the use of magic. She sheathed her blade and stood up, extending her arms and hands to show that she wanted to speak. "First, tell me why you're doing this."

"Tsk tsk," said Lyserra as she shook her index finger at Lina. "Kamiel-sama wouldn't like it if I did that," she explained with a small shrug of her shoulders and an annoying grin on her face.

Lina bared her fangs at the sorceress as a vein popped out of her forehead. "Oh, you're _really_ getting on my nerves now," she growled, preparing a spell that sparked between her hands. Somehow, being jeered at by a copy of herself was extremely insulting. Her fingers twitched in anger as the sphere of magic swelled between her palms, cracking with little bits of added fury.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the stranger warned with an amused little look on her face.

"As if I'd fall for that. Fireball!" Lina threw the spell at the girl's smiling face, grinning a bit herself when it exploded on contact. But when the smoke cleared, she realized that the girl hadn't budged, instead opting to take the attack fully. Lina clenched her fists. Why hadn't it worked?

The Fox Laugh once again erupted from Lyserra's lips. Lina seethed a bit before pulling her hair in frustration. "What's so damn funny!?" she demanded to know, getting thoroughly irritated by the obnoxious laugh that threatened to make her deaf.

"Look at you. All that effort and all you could manage to do was singe my hair. You're hardly worth the merit you receive," she coyly explained as she cackled behind her hand.

Another vein popped out from Lina's forehead. "Oh yeah? Then try this one." She raised her hand up, pulling in the streams of lightning to a point of concentration above her head. "Dynast Bras!"

The spell formed a pentagon on the ground before encasing Lyserra in its field of effect. Lina held her breath as the magic ran its course, hoping that this attack might work. Lyserra, from within, smirked and said, "It's useless." Then she curled her hand into a fist and punched through the barrier, shattering it into shards of diamond dust.

Lina gritted her teeth and clenched her fist as a bead of sweat slipped down the side of her face. Why were none of her spells having any effect on this person? …Person?

"…Are you a mazoku?" Lina asked in a lower, serious tone as she narrowed her eyes. The sudden pinch she was in made her lose whatever jovial attitude she had before.

"Close, but not quite."

Lina opened her mouth to inquire further, but before she could speak, her head was pulled into a tight headlock by the mysterious attacker. She tried to struggle, but the inhuman strength prevented her from breaking free. "What are you?" she managed to ask, though in a very strained voice. The position of her arm being twisted behind her back was rather painful.

"A human. Or at least, I was," Lyserra answered, gathering a bunch of Lina's hair and harshly jerking her head back. Lina cried out slightly in pain, blinking the tears away from the corners of her eyes. Then Lyserra continued, "That is, until I made a deal with Kamiel-sama."

"And what was that?"

"That is a secret."

Lina winced. It could have just been coincidence, but the prolonged look she was receiving indicated otherwise. "It looks like we have a friend in common," she remarked, beginning to question her trust in Xelloss.

Lyserra frowned. The expression of her answer made Lina curious. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but the girl definitely wasn't exuberating happiness at the mention of his name. _Perhaps their relationship isn't exactly friendly_, Lina concluded.

"A friend, huh? Maybe I'd be a bit friendlier if he were _dead_," hissed the fake sorceress as she dug her sharp nails into Lina's flesh. Lina bit her lip to stifle another cry--instead, it came out as a small groan as four sharp points pierced her skin. _Definitely not friends_, Lina thought with a wry grin. She was never interested in his relationships with others, but she wondered now; what on earth did Xelloss do to this girl?

Her jaw cracked as a fist connected with it, sending her skidding backwards on the sand. She made a small pained sound but fought to remain standing. Lyserra dashed forward and bombarded her with another series of punches, followed up by a final knee in the stomach. Lina coughed up a bit of blood as she fell to her knees, clutching her midsection as she recoiled from the pain that began to flood her senses. Her head was beginning to spin--it was an effort just to stay conscious. She felt an impact against the back of her head, pushing it down against the ground with such a heavy weight that she couldn't move it at all. "Where is this ridiculous power coming from…?" she wondered, but there were more immediate things of concern.

"Is that all? That's _so_ disappointing. I'm almost ashamed to impersonate you."

Lina gritted her teeth and struggled once again to break free, but her efforts were made in vain. There was an obvious difference in physical strength; there was no way Lina could win against this woman in this hand-to-hand encounter. "_Think, Lina. Think!_" she urged herself mentally, feeling seized by a sudden wave of panic that resulted from being caught in a sudden pinch. Time was running out!

"Then I guess this is the end… What!?"

The weight removed itself--Lina was no longer a captive. She lifted her head, wondering what had just happened. As her eyes fell on a certain figure enshrouded by a cloak, she exclaimed, "You are--"

"Damn you! Who do you think you are!?" demanded Lyserra as she tended to her wound. It seemed to emanate some sort of steam, and Lina made a quick mental note of the strange reaction.

Lina heard some sort of amused _hmph_ sound made by her savior, and she could only guess that he was smirking beneath the cloth that wrapped his face. He raised his blood red sword against the false sorceress and coldly replied, "I have no name to give to the likes of you."

"Tch," Lyserra cursed, and turned to make a quick exit now that the tables were stacked against her, but she was blocked by another guest who emerged just in time to intercept her.

"Now, now. We don't want to rudely leave without a proper goodbye, do we?" Xelloss cheerily commented as he blocked her escape path with his staff. The red orb flickered threateningly as he cast an ominous look down upon her. Fear shone in her eyes, and the only thing she could focus on was Xelloss's contented grin as he quenched his thirst with her negative feelings.

"Damn it. I won't be caught here," she declared resolutely, looking around for a way to escape.

"I think it's about time you admitted your defeat," Xelloss said with confidence. Between the three of them, there was virtually no chance of escape for her.

"Not yet."

Lina raised her head at the sound of a fifth voice. Distracted, Xelloss was caught off guard by an attack that came in his direction, teleporting just in time to dodge it. But as he did so, the mysterious figure swooped down and vanished along with Lyserra, leaving behind only a cloud of black dust.

After the moment passed, Lina collapsed on the ground with a huff. "That was close," she sighed. "Thank you, Zelgadiss."

Zelgadiss loosened his wraps, revealing his face to her. "No problem," he replied, casting his friend a small grin. It was quickly replaced by concern, however, when she began to cough violently, spitting up little bits of blood through the gaps between her fingers. "Lina!?" he exclaimed in concern, and quickly kneeled by her side.

She was casting a recovery spell on her abdomen when she raised her head, mouth stained with a small amount of blood. "I'm okay," she replied, putting up a tough front. Zelgadiss simply shook his head at her and reinforced her healing spell with one of his own, to which she replied with a gentle smile. _Good ol' Zel_, she thought warmly.

Xelloss appeared near them just about then, acting normally with his silly little grin plastered to his face. "If it isn't Zelgadiss-san!" he exclaimed, as if happy to see the chimera.

"Bastard!" Zelgadiss cursed as he whirled around and grabbed the priest's collar. He was practically growling as he glared down the grinning mazoku, who in turn rather enjoyed Zelgadiss's wrath.

"Stop it," Lina said to both of them in a serious tone. Zelgadiss scoffed and contented himself by throwing Xelloss to the side with restrained force, acquiescing to Lina's decision. It wasn't the time or place for these sorts of trivialities, but his temper wouldn't be calm unless he got to unleash a bit of anger on Xelloss. Glancing at the mazoku out of the corner of his eye, his scowl was reduced to a neutral look as he laid eyes on the sight of Xelloss unhappily trying to get sand out of his pants. That would do for now.

She turned to Xelloss with a skeptical look on her face. "So?" she inquired in a low tone, suggesting that the mazoku answer her straightforwardly--or else.

"I had been tracking Lyserra and her companion," he explained, raising a finger informatively. "But then I realized that the best way to flush her out would be to offer you as bait, Lina-san. So I waited for you to arrive so they would act."

"And stood by doing nothing as Lina was pummeled to bits?" Zelgadiss interjected bitterly.

Lina raised a hand to stop him. "Cut it out," she told Zelgadiss, not particularly happy with his reminder of how helpless she actually had been during that entire exchange. "So then why did you let her escape?" she asked Xelloss.

Xelloss wagged his finger at Lina. "She's not the person we're looking for. We need to let her escape so we can find him," he explained.

Lina put on a perky smile, showing that she understood his plan. "Ah, I see. That would make perfect sense," she said light-heartedly, pretending to agree with him. But then her temper cracked, and in a flash she had Xelloss pinned to the ground in a headlock. "Just how many times do you plan to use me before you feel satisfied!?" she screeched.

He raised his eyebrows at the comment. "Why do I feel like you've asked this question before?" he asked innocently.

Lina felt the last thread of restraint snap and clobbered him mercilessly into the ground. "Because I did," she growled, seeming to breathe fire like the dragons she inherited her nickname from. The last time this happened it was in a coincidentally very similar situation, and she realized then that nothing had changed in their relationship between then and now. Pressing a forefinger to her temple to soothe her pounding pulse and calm her temper, she reminded herself mentally that he was a _mazoku_, and they were expected to behave like this. She had already come to terms with it a long, long time ago.

"Oi, Lina."

She lifted her head. "What is it--"

Following the direction of his extended finger, she looked to see what was so important to point out and dropped her jaw in shock. A sandstorm loomed just a ways off--undoubtedly heading in their direction. "Argh, just what we needed," she griped as she scratched her head with both hands in sheer frustration.

Zelgadiss pointed in another direction. "We should take shelter there until it passes by," he said, indicating the cave that was off in the distance. "If we hurry, we'll make it there before the storm hits."

Lina sighed unhappily as she climbed to her feet, Xelloss silently rising next to her. She glanced at him, wondering if he had something to say by staring at her so cheerfully. "What is it?" she asked, when he didn't respond.

"Oh, nothing," Xelloss replied, and turned to walk in the direction they were headed. Both Lina and Zelgadiss were puzzled by his answer, and they exchanged confused glances. Lina, on one hand, figured that Xelloss was just being his usual mysterious self while Zelgadiss, on the other hand, guessed that the mazoku was up to no good. Neither of them would have guessed that Xelloss was just acting normally--not even the trickster himself. Being in Lina's company tended to have that effect on his mood.

Lina plodded behind slowly, all the while considering what had just happened. What exactly was Lyserra, and why was she so strong? It wasn't a natural sort of strength--it seemed to be fueled by something, but what was that? These and a number of other questions boggled her mind as she searched through the vast libraries of knowledge stored in her head. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she failed to notice her chimera companion falling into step alongside her, watching her. He was waiting for a moment to speak with her, but he wasn't fond of the idea of breaking her train of thought lest she retaliate with a burst of fury. He hadn't seen her in a number of months, either; he wanted to catch up with her, but there was no time for that.

Lina blinked, suddenly aware of a pair of eyes staring at her. To her embarrassment, she blushed a little and shyly attempted to make eye contact with him. "What is it, Zel?" she asked.

When he stopped walking, she paused alongside him and turned to face him, wondering what was up. "I can't stay," he began slowly as he shook his head. He then reached behind his back and unfastened an object from his belt, bringing it around front to where Lina could see. By unraveling the velvet cloth around the object, he unveiled the stone pendant within. It was glowing green, generating a field with its magic power. "Take this with you. I've been using it to ward off the pursuers, but I think you'll need it more," he said.

She put a hand on her hip and jokingly pouted. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded playfully before dropping the joke and taking the pendant from his hand. "Thanks a lot, Zel."

He nodded. "You'll probably have your hands full as it is," he added, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the priest that was waiting patiently just beyond. Lina had to nod in agreement as she wrapped the pendant back up before tucking it away in the side of her yellow breast band.

"Where are you headed?" she asked.

"As it stands, I don't think we have a good chance of defeating Lyserra and her partner," he explained. When Lina nodded her response, he continued, "I'll keep searching for information regarding them. If I find anything, I'll contact you."

"Okay," she agreed, giving him a thumbs-up and a good, strong grin. Then she softened her gaze and added, "Take care of yourself, Zel."

He patted her on the side of her arm before saying, "You too. I'll see you later."

She smiled and nodded at him, to which he replied with a small little grin of his own. "Don't be a stranger, Zelgadiss!" she shouted out after him as he walked off, waving without ever turning around. Then she spun on her heel and ran up to where Xelloss stood. "Let's go," she said as she punched his arm lightly in passing. He obediently followed behind, glancing over his shoulder at the companion that had left them.

"You might come to regret leaving her alone with me, Zelgadiss-san," Xelloss mused silently as he watched his ever-shrinking figure disappear into the distance. "Unlike you, I won't jump in to play hero if she finds herself in trouble. I am a mazoku, after all."

"What are you grinning about?" Lina asked, raising an eyebrow at her travel companion.

He raised a finger and cheerily replied, "That is a secret."


End file.
